History and definition of planning, determinants, goals and
objectives of spatial planning. Role, legitimacy and authority of
planning. General and specific theories, such as Descriptive,
Prescriptive and Normative theories also in the context of developing
countries.

An overview of planning legislation and a short history of
planning process in Saudi Arabia. Methods, techniques and instruments
for implementing plans through decrees and administrative acts, the basis for
urban and regional planning and its relation to Shariah Law as well as the
structure and organization of Saudi public planning administration.
Discussion of zoning procedures, subdivision review practices and budget
preparation and execution.

Issues of distribution of population and economic activities
in urban areas. Microeconomic principles to understand the economic
nature of the urban system. The economic aspects and models of urban
growth and city size, land-use pattern, housing, transportation,
environmental problems, unemployment, and public policy are discussed.

Context and role of data and analysis in city and regional
planning. The first part will deal with design of surveys including
questionnaire planning and construction, data collection and data
processing. The second part will cover a range of methods and
techniques used in planning such as forecasting techniques, decision models,
programs evaluation and selections, program scheduling, etc.

Information and experience with the rapidly growing field of
Computer-Aided Planning. Management Information Systems (MIS),
Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Decision Support Systems (DSS),
Knowledge Based Expert Systems and Automated Mapping and Graphing will be
introduced. Basic principles will be emphasized that are common to the
design and use of software in this area.

Different analytical techniques that are used by planners and
policy makers in the planning process. Topics include Multivariate Analysis,
Linear Programming, Non-linear Programming, and Queuing Theory.
Applications of these techniques in city and regional planning will be
emphasized.

Cartography as instrumental tool for urban and regional
planning. Topographic and thematic maps; maps for basic administrative use;
systems and scales of maps; legends, keys and symbols; statistics and maps;
terminology and automation of maps. There will be a discourse on remote
sensing and photogrammetry with such topics as geometry of photographs,
stereoscopic vision, terrestrial photogrammetry, etc. Some emphasis will be
put on the interpretation of terrestrial photogrammetry and maps of all kind.
.

History and origin of cities, their functions and structures,
and theories of urban development and planning. Impact of contemporary
urban development on the socio-cultural and economic systems and urban
policies.

Identification of similarities and differences in patterns of
family life in urban/rural settings and their influence on urban/rural
spatial structures. Relationships between technological and social
changes and policies and their impact on urban/rural spatial organization as
well as urban planning and design concepts. Discussion and examination
of theories of urban/rural sociology in the context of Third World, Middle
Eastern and Saudi Cities.

Historical development of the traditional Muslim towns. Determinants
of "Islamic" urban spatial structure. The physical aspects of
the urban form and the role of the socio-cultural factors and legal system in
the structure of Muslim towns. Urban design principles of traditional Arab
and Muslim towns. Discussion of the problems of contemporary Islamic
cities and the relevance of the traditional design principles to build future
cities in the Islamic world.

Changes in urban land use and the socio-economic structures of
urban settings. Emphasis will be on historical districts revitalization and
regeneration. Goals, plans and operations of adaptive re-use and
regeneration of local traditional as well as modern districts are discussed
and presented.

The origin of new towns concepts as an approach to urban development
in Saudi Arabia particularly and the Middle East in general. Analysis
of planning and designing processes. Examination of issues and problem
in new town development. Comparative evaluation of new towns in Arab, Islamic
and Western World. Review of new industrial towns in Saudi
Arabia.

Ideas, concepts, policies and programs for developing rural
areas on national, regional and local level. The links between national
policies and rural areas, such as population growth and urbanization and
their impact on rural areas. Different models of rural development with
specific emphasis on the hierarchy in the physical structure from small
towns, villages, to hamlets (hijar). Specific topics of planning and
design of rural areas in the region will be presented.

Physical planning elements and concepts to analyze and design
the plans of a city-district (harah) or a city in small groups of students as
teams to offer experience with group dynamics. Application of urban
planning process, theories and methods are discussed to solve physical
urban/rural problems.

Review of architecture and urban design history. Theories
and concepts of urban spatial design. Elements and analysis of the
concept of urban space. Major theoretical and critical responses to the
crises of the modern urban environment. Discussion of urban design
concepts through analysis of urban settings in the region.

Principles of legislation and regulations of Public Works
Management are introduced and its history. Administrative structure of
agencies responsible for public works in the Kingdom. Basic budget
appropriation for operation, capital projects and budget balancing,
borrowing and subsidies.

Overview of the housing stocks and its function as a
commodity. The private housing development process versus the public
one. The user and housing design. Housing rehabilitation and
conservation as a community development strategy. Adaptive reuse and
urban revitalization and manufactured housing. The overall evaluation
of housing supply and demand versus housing need based on local demographic
developments and general housing strategies at the local, regional, and national
levels.

Planning for and management of urban infrastructure
projects. Identification of physical infrastructure systems such as
water and sewage systems, urban transportation networks,....etc.
Management, finance and budgeting, and operation and maintenance of
infrastructure projects. Case studies of local urban infrastructure
systems will be discussed.

Planning and management of urban transportation systems.
Functional description, planning, and analysis of transportation
systems. Characteristics of major transportation modes in Saudi Arabia.
Current research, technology, and policy issues are stressed.

Discussion of problems and planning aspects specific to arid
zones. Different factors influencing the built environment in the arid
regions including climate, water, vegetation, and soil. Emphasis on
basic considerations on problems of urban sites; economically related aspects
of urbanized regions; specific problems of construction and site selection;
the design of specific urban physical city-scape and landscape in arid zones
forms. Physical planning for sustainable resources.

Major aspects of environmental analysis, planning and
management. Problems and principles of site analysis, land use methods,
and geologic hazard planning. Natural resource, pollution and residuals
management. Economics of renewable and non-renewable resources, and the
economic cost of environmental controls. Environmental impact assessment and
local case studies of environmental management.

Graduate student working towards his MCP degree is required to
take this course at least once during his degree program and contribute to
the general area of his Final Planning Project research. Grades are Pass or
Fail.

The student has
to utilize his knowledge and skills developed during his graduate studies in dealing
with a complete city and regional planning problem under the supervision of a
CRP graduate faculty member. The student is expected to deal with the
selected topic in his selected concentration area. The Final Planning
Project report will be presented and evaluated by a faculty committee
representing the student's area of concentration.

Prerequisite:
All required courses and at least four elective courses.